Former Brockton building superintendent to change plea in alleged kickbacks scheme

Thursday

Jan 21, 2010 at 12:01 AMJan 21, 2010 at 9:17 PM

Joseph Vasapollo Jr. of Brockton filed a notice in U.S. District Court in Boston that he intends to change his innocent plea. A hearing is set for Feb 2.

Maureen Boyle

The former city building superintendent facing federal kickback charges now plans to change his plea in federal court.

Joseph Vasapollo Jr. of Brockton filed a notice in U.S. District Court in Boston that he intends to change his not guilty plea.

A hearing is set for Feb. 2 at 10:30 a.m. on the matter. Details on what his sentence may be were not released.

Vasapollo, 66, was indicted in September on federal charges, accused of taking kickbacks from a man identified in court papers as the president of a Norwood company doing asbestos removal at the War Memorial building.

City officials identified that company as Suburban Middlesex Insulation.

According to federal officials and that indictment, Vasapollo was caught on tape taking cash from the contractor in a scheme dating back to at least 2007.

Vasapollo is accused of taking cash-filled envelopes, totaling more than $4,000, from the contractor — identified in court papers as the president of the company — during meetings in restaurant parking lots.

Vasapollo, who had been out on unpaid sick leave at the time of his arrest, was fired after his indictment from his $97,000-a-year city job.

The notice of the plea change comes after the president of Suburban Middlesex Insulation, Darrell W. Maclean, and the business owner, Charles R. Smith Jr., 43, of Sharon, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of filing false tax returns and tax evasion. They are set to be sentenced Feb. 23.

Under the terms of those plea agreements, Maclean and Smith agreed to cooperate with authorities and testify in related cases if needed.

They are expected to receive sentences of 30 to 37 months, based on the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court.

In November, U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo T. Sorokin, in an order and report filed in federal court, said the case against Vasapollo “is not a case involving unusual or complex issues” needing early meetings between a judge and lawyers.

The judge said it was too early to tell if a trial was necessary. He said, however, that if a trial did take place, it would probably last approximately four to five days.